Air-blast cotton-gin.



C. B. GINN.

` AIR BLAST COTTON GIN.

APPLlcATToN FILED `Nov. 2l. 1914.

1,168,493. Y Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. B. GINN.

AIR BLAST COTTON GIN.

APPLlcATxoN FILED Nov. 2|, 19u.

Patented Janfl, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CARROLLVERNON B. GINN, 0F BRENHAM, TEXAS, yASSIGrNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO'PAULD. GINN, 0F BRENHAM, TEXAS.

AIR-BLAST COTTON-GIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

Application led November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,353.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CARROLLVERNON B. GIEN, citizen of the United States,residing at Brenham, in the county7 of Vtashington and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-BlastCotton-Grins, of which the following is a specification.

Machines of the type for ginning cotton generally employ a brush forremoving the lint from the teeth of the rotary gin elements or saws. Ithas been found objectionable to use rotary brushes as means forstripping or doiiing the lint from the gin mechanism because of thetrouble expe rienced by such brushes getting out of balance and becomingdismembered because of the high speed at which they are required to berun and, furthermore, because of the heating of the bearings.

The present invention provides novel means for utilizing an air blastfor dofling or stripping the lint from the teeth of the rotary ginelements, such air blast being further utilized as means for conveyingthe lint to the required point of discharge, or to other mechanism forforming the lint into a bat, or for other desired purposes.

The invention provides novel means for utilizing an air blast as doihngor lint stripping means in the manner herein before indicated, saidmeans being applicable to cotton gins, linters, regins or bollers, andsaid means embodying devices for regulating and directing the air blastaccording to the condition of the material to be ginned or to theconditions requiring adjustment of the working parts.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of means forconcentrating and directing the air blast upon the teeth of the rotarygin member so as to e'ectively strip the lint therefrom and enable thework to be effectively performed with a minimum amount of air and aconsequent small eX- penditure of power.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a mechanism ofthe character herein before stated embodying a lint flue in which isformed a discharge for motes, said discharge being adjustable and suchlint 'flue having a portion of its wall adjustable to regulate theeffective size of the air passage thereby adapting the mechanism tovarying conditions.

The invention further aims to provide a cotton gin having a lint flueformed with a contracted portion opposite the gin saws, said iue beingenlarged in the rear of the contracted portion to provide` ampleclearance for the stripping of the lint from the gin saw teeth.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of a lint fluethrough which a blast of air is caused to tra vel, said lint flue havinga valve made adjustable for regulating the effective passage or throatthrough which the air is forced, thereby enabling the air blast to becontrolled and utilized to the best possiblel advantage.

The invention has for its object furthermore to provide anairblastcotton gin embodying novel features which hereinafter will be moreparticularly set forth, subsequently claimed and illustratedA in thedrawings hereto attached, in which Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsection of an air blastcotton ginembodying the invention; Fig. 2 is atop plan view of a gang of gins having an air supply pipe in conimon;Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the inner wall of the lint flueshowing more clearly the deflectors for concentrating the air upon thesides of thegin saws; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a portionof the gin showing more clearly the relative arvrangement of the parts;Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the means for adjusting themovable portion of the front wall of the lint flue; Fig. 6 is anenlarged sectional view of the parts illustrated in Fig.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

The main frame of the gin is indicated generally by the referencenumeral l and may lbe of any construction according to the type orcharacter of gin to which the invention is applied. Y

The numeral 2 designates the cotton cham-r ber which receives thematerial to be ginned. The picker roll 3 arrangedwithin the cottonchamber 2 is of ordinary construction. The grid or breast t at one sideof the' cotton chamber serves to separate the seed from the lint. Thegin saws 5 are mounted upon a mandrel 6 and are arrangedto op( ratethrough the bars comprising the grid or breast 4.

The parts herein referred to may be of any construction and arrangementwell understood in the operation of cotton gins.

An air pipe 7'is mounted upon the frame 1 and extends parallel with thecotton chamber 2 and axis of the gin saws. The pipe 7in practice issupplied with air under pressure from any suitable source. A liue 8leads from a side of the air pipe 7 and is of involute form, as shownmost clearly in Fig. 1. The delivery end of the flue 8 is enlarged, asindicated at 9, to facilitate the separation of the air from the lint.The flue 8 receives both a blast of air :from the pipe 7 and the lintfrom the ginning mechanism. In the preferable arrangement the lint flue8 connects withthe air pipe 7 at the side facing the ginning mechanism,the portion of the lint flue adjacent the ginning mechanism curvingforward so as-to present a. convex portion facing the gin saws. Thereceiving end portion of the linl flue embodies a rear wall 10 and afront wall 11, the latter being adjustable to vary the space formedbetween the two walls. An opening 12 is formed in the front wall of thelint flue a short distance below the ginning mechanism for the escape ofmotes or specks. The opening 12 is made adjustable and is located aboutin line with the vertical portion of the lint flue so that the inotes orspecks may bc discharged there- 1 through by the momentum'or impetusirnparted thereto by the combined actionr of the air blast and therotation of the gin saws. 1

A plurality of slots or openings 13 are formed in the wall 11 of thelint flue to receive the toothed portions of the gin saws. An oli'set orbend 14 is formed in the wall 11 about in line with a horizontal planepassing through the axis of the gin saws thereby forming a contractedpassage 15 in the lint flue. This contracted passage 15 concentrates theblast of air so as to insure thorough stripping or doliing of the lintfrom the gin saws. Below the offset portion 14 or constricted part 15 ofthe lint flue the latter is enlarged thereby affordingA ample clearancefor the doiing of any lint that may tend to cling to the toothed edge ofthe saw and be carried thereby through the opening 13 and back into thecotton chamber 2. The lower end of the wall 11 bordering upon theopening 12 is movable forwardly and rearwardly thereby admitting of thereceiving portion of the lint iue being enlarged or contracted adjacentthe opening 12 and the toothed portion of the gin saws extending intothe lint flue. While any means may be provided for effecting adjustmentof the wall. 11 the means illustrated are preferred, the same consistingof one or more brackets 16 and an eccentric 17 secured to a shaft 18arranged parallel with Vthe throat or discharge 24 of the air blast.

the mandrel 6 and supported in suitable bearings provided upon theframe 1. One

.end of the shaft is provided with a hand wheel 19 or other manuallyoperable part to admit of rotation ofthe shaft to effect adjustment ofthe wall 11 when required. The eccentric 17 has positive engagement.with the bracket 16 to effect positive movement of the wall 11 in eitherdirection. As indicated most clearly in Fi 4 the eccentric 17 75 isformed in opposite gaces near its outer edge with grooves which engageinwardly facing extensions at the outer end of the bracket 16.

Deflectors 20 are located upon the inner .o side of the Wvall 11adjacentthe upper ends of the openings or slots 13 and are disposed in ahorizontal line intermediate adjacent openings 13, as shown most clearlyin Fig. 3. Opposite faces or sides of the deliectors 20 inclineupwardly, preferablyv at like inclinations so that the angle formedbetween either face or side 21 and a vertical plane passlngv through theadjacent opening or slot 13 is equal, with the result that the blast ofair is divided and directed downwardly and outwardly atvthe Asides of adeflector 20 with equal force. This action concentrates the force of theair blast upon the sides of the toothed edge portions of the gin sawsprojecting into the lint flue with the result that the lint is loosenedand detached from the teeth of the saws. The crests of the deflectors 20incline downwardly and rearwardly from the wall 11 thereby facilitatingthe doliing of the lint. It is noted that the de- Hectors 20 aredisposed above the constricted portion 15 of-the lint Hue and oppositethe upperends of the portions of the gin saws extending into the lintflue, thereby serving the better to loosen and eii'ect a stripping ofthe lint from the saws.

The valve 22 is located at the receiving end of the lint liuc andconsists of a Hap or apron which is hinged at 23 to the pipe 7 or upperend of the rear wall of the lint flue. The lower end of the valve 22 isfree and is; adapted to move forward or backward between the walls 10and 11 so asto regulate The lower end of the valve 22 terminatesadjacent the upper ends of the deflectors 20 thereby concentrating theair blast and directing the same into the angular spaces formed betweenthe oppositely inclined faces or 'sides 21 of adjacent deflectors.Suitable means may be employed for effecting adjustment of the valve 22.As indicated, a shaft 25 is disposed within the upper p0rtion of thelint flue in the rear of the valve 22 and one or more eccentrics 26 aremounted thereon and engage with the valve 22. Rotation of the shaft 25causes the-turning of the eccentrics 26 and a lcorresponding ad-1,1'es,4es f and is mounted for longitudinal adjustment. A rack bar 29attached to the moteb'oard 28 is adapted to coact with a piniony 30 andthe latter is rotatable in any manner to" effect a shifting of themote-board either f forward or rearward. A section 31 of the wall of thelint iiue is carried by the moteboard 28 and lits close against thefixed wall of the lint flue and if movable thereover so as to maintain aclose fit and prevent the formation of any space for the escape of lintor air. rllhe forward end of the adjustable wall section 31 curvesupwardly and forwardly and the upper end 38 may be adjusted to aposition more or less in, vertical line with the upper portion of thelint Hue so as to effect a separation of the motes or specks which areforced toward the front wall 11 of the lint flue by centrifugal actiondue to the forward convexity or curvature of the lint iiue, as indicatedmost clearly in Fig. 1.

It is to be understood that the invention may be used in connection witha single cotton gin or a-plurality of cotton gins. Fig. 2 illustrates anarrangement of four cotton gins disposed in series, or gang, and in sucharrangement the air pipe 7 is common to all of the gins and is adapted-to receive a blast of air from a. fan 34. When a plurality of cottongins are arranged in series so as to receive a blast of air from a pipe7 common thereto the advantage of the valve 22 and adjustable wallsection 11 is apparent and such parts provide for regulating a blast ofair so that each gin may receive a blast of air of like force, or theparts 11 and 22 may be so adjusted to admit of different gins receivinga blast vof air of varying force according to the natureor condition ofthe cotton or the material being ginned.

An advantage resulting from the construction disclosed is that damp orwet cotton or like material may be effectively ginned, the valve 22 andadjustable front wall section 11 providing for delivery of the blast ofairin such a manner as to insure a doffing or stripping of the lint fromth gin saws.

It is to be understood that the invention is of such a nature as to bereadily adapted to cotton gins, linters, regins or bollers and operateswith equal effectiveness in either adaptation. While it is preferred toembody the air pipe 7 and lint flue 8 as an essential part of themachine it is to be understood that such parts may be applied to cottongins of any make and in use or upon the market.

While the lint flue 8 serves as an essential part of the doiiing orstripping mechanism it also serves the purpose of a conveyer to directthe lint to the requiredpoint of discharge, or to other machinery, forsubsequent treatment of the lint as the same is discharged from the gin.

In the-operation of the invention the cotton or other material to beginned is placed in the chamber 2 in the manner well understood and thelint removed from Vthe seeds is carried through the grid or breast 4into the lint flue by the action of the gin saws 5 in the manner wellunderstood. The instant the lint enters the lint flue it is subjected toa blast of air delivered through the throat 24, such blast of air beingconcentrated by the combined action of the valve 22 and oppositelyinclinedfaces 21 ofl the deiiectors 20. 1t is to be understood that theblast of air must be of such force and of such high velocity as todetach the lint from the toothed portions of the saws 5 and direct thesame through the flue 8. The forwardly curved portion of the receivingpor tion of the lint fiue serves to effect a separation of the motes orspecks from the lint by centrifugal action, such motes or specksescaping through the opening 12, whereas the lint being ,light iscarried along through the flue by the blast of air. Whenl the nature ofthe material is such as to require variation in the size of the throat24, the lower end of the valve 22 is adjusted by rotary movement of theshaft 25 in the manner stated. Adjustment of the lower end of the wall11 varies the size of the constricted portion 15 of the flue and alsoeffects adjustnient of the deflectors 2O with reference to the parts ofthe saws 5 extending into the lint flue.` Forward adjustment of thelower end of the wall 11 enlarges the constricted portion 15 of the lintflue and at the same time admits of a larger portion of the saws 5projecting into the lint Hue. Rearward adjustment of the lower end ofthe wall 11 contracts the passage 15 and causes a smaller portion of thesaws to project into the lint liue.

While the drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of the inventionit is to be understood that in the practical adaptation thereof to meetvarying conditions changes in the form, proportion and minor details ot'construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention asclaimed without departing from the essential features thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In anair blast cotton gin and in combination with the gin saws, a Hue havinga section of its wall adjustable toward and from the opposite wall andhaving the gin saws extending therethrough, means for lio causing ablast of air to pass through the Hue, and means for adjustlng themovable section of the Hue. 'v f 2. In an air blast cotton ginhaving-openings in a wall thereof to receive the gin saws and having adischarge' opening below the saw receiving openings, the portion 'of thewallof the Hue above the discharge opening and containing the sawreceivin openings being adjustable toward an away from the opposite wallof the Hue, means for adjusting the movable portion of the Hue wall, andmeans for causing a blast of air to pass through the Hue. 3. In an airblast cotton gin,.a Hue comprlsing approximately vertical and horizontalportions and` having a discharge opening in the outer wall at or nearthe juncture of the vertical and horizontal portions and having thesection of the wall above the discharge opening formed with sawreceiving openings and laterally adjustable at its lower end toward andaway from the rear wall of the Hue and a second section of wallimmediately below the discharge opening adjustable horizontally, meansfor adjustlng the upper section of the Hue wall above the dischargeopening, and other means for adjusting the sec-v ond section of the Huewall below the discharge opening.

4. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue having a section of its walladjustable toward and away from the opposite wall and formed with sawreceiving openings and provided with an internal oset intermediate theends of the saw receiving openings, and means for adjusting the movablewall section of the Hue.

.5. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue having a wall formed with sawreceiving openings and having an internal oH'set in the wallintermediate the ends of the saw receiving openings, and deHectorsarranged upon the inner side of the wall above the oHset thereof aboutin line with the upper ends of the saw receiving openings and betweenthe same, such deHectors having their opposite faces inversely inclinedto concentrate and direct the blast of air against the sides of thesaws.

6. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue having a section of one of itswalls made adjustable and formed with saw receiving openings and havingan oHset or bendl intermediate the ends of such openings.

7. In anA air blast cotton gin, a Hue having a section of one of itswalls made adjustable and formed with saw receiving openings and havingan oH'set or bend intermediate the ends of such openings, and deHectorsdisposed upon the inner side of the ,adjustable wall section Vabove theoifset portion thereof and about in line with the upper ends of the sawAreceiving openings and between the latter, with their faces oppositelyinclined to concentrate the blast of air against the sides of the saws.\

8. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue having a wall formed with sawreceiving openings, a swinging valve,I disposed in the Hue above the sawreceiving openings to form a throat or passage, and-means for adjustingthe lower end of the valve toward or from the wall havin the sawreceiving openings to regulate t e sizeof the throat or passage tocontrol the blast of air.

.9. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue provided ywith saw receivingopenings in a wall thereof, a valve arranged inthe upper portion of theHue abovethe saw receiving openings and having its upper end fixed anits lower end adjustable toward and away from the wall of the yHuehavingthesaw receiving openings, and means for adjusting the lower endof the valve to regulate the size of the passage between such valve andthe wall of the Hue formed with the saw receiving openings.

10. In an air blast cottonv gin, a Hue having a wall provided with sawreceiving openings, al valve disposed within the Hue above the sawreceiving openings and having its upper-end touching the rear wall of vthe Hue and its lower end adjustable toward or away from the wall of theHue having the saw receiving openings, and means arranged within the Huebetween the valve and the rear wall to effect adjustment of the valve atits lower end to regulate the size of the passage between such valve andthe wall of the Hue having the saw receiving openings.

11. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue of involute form arranged withone, portion approximately vertical and the lower yportion horizontal,an air pipe having connection with the upper end of the Hue, sawyreceiving openings formed in the front wall of the vertical portion oftheHue and a valve disposed in the upper portion of the Hue with itsupper end in contact with the rear wall of the Hue and its lower endadjacent the front wall of the Hue and terminating about in line withthe upper ends of the saw receiving openings, and means for adjustingthe lower end of the valve loward or away from the front wall of the ue.v

12. In an air blast cotton gin, a Hue of involute form arranged with oneportion l12) approximately vertical and the lower portion horizontal, anair. blast pipe having connection with the upper end of the Hue, sawreceiving openings formed in the front wall of the vertical portion ofthe Hue, a valve disposed in the upper portion of th'e Hue with itsupper endin contact with the rear -wall of the Hue and its lower endadjacent the front wall of the Hue andterminating about in line with theupper ends of the saw receiving openings, means for adjusting the lowerend of the valve toward or away from the front wall of the Hue, anddeectors disposed upon the inner side of the front wall of the flueimmediately below the valve and between the upper ends of the sawreceiving openings, the sides of suoli detlectors being oppositelyinclined to concentrate and direct the blast of air against the sides ofthe saws.

13. In a cotton gin, the combination of a flue receivingan air blast atits upper end and haring an offset on its front wall at an intermediatepoint of its height, and gin saws extending through said front Wall andthe offset thereon.

1l. In a cotton gin, the combination of a flue having its front Wallprovided with saw-receiving openings and receiving an air blast at itsupper end, gin saws extending through said openings, means at the upperend of the flue for delivering the blast to the saws in a thin stream,and means on the front wall of the ue at the sides of the saws todefiect the blast against the saws.

15. In a cotton gin, the combination of a Hue receiving an air blast atits upper end and having its front wall provided with smv-receivingopenings, the flue being further provided with a lateral outlet and amote discharge at the entrance to said out- V-let, gin saws projectingthrough said sawreceiving openings, and means below the saw-receivingopenings to direct air and lint into the lateral outlet. and permit dirtand metes to pass through the mote discharge.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GARROLLVERNON GINN. [a s.; IVitnesses:

T. G. SHOW, OLLIE B. ZERNIAL.

